Near the end of a rally in the Bronx on Thursday that his campaign organized to shore up and emphasize his support among black and Hispanic voters, former President Donald Trump called on two hip-hop artists accused of participating in violent gang wars . partly fueled by their music.
The rappers, Sheff G And Sleepy hello, were among several guests invited to voice their support for Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. After they did, Trump expressed his gratitude and then complimented Sheff G’s glittering, jewel-encrusted grill. “I like those teeth.” I want to know where you did it – I need to get my teeth straight,” he said. “I want that to happen to me.”
But Trump — who earlier in his speech vowed to restore the rule of law in New York City, denounced urban crime and touted his loyalty to police — did not address the charges the two men face: charges of conspiracy to commit murder and possession of weapons.
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Presidential candidates typically try to distance themselves from people accused of violent crimes. But the joint appearance, which was clipped and shared on social media by the Trump campaign and many in the hip-hop media ecosystem, was not a one-time event, but rather one in a series of Trump’s blunt and sometimes clumsy overtures to bring Black to justice to take. voters, especially black men.
By appealing to black voters to break with President Joe Biden and the Democrats, Trump is emphasizing that Biden’s handling of issues like immigration and the economy is disproportionately harming them.
But he has also repeatedly trafficked in stereotypes about black Americans. The former president, who was indicted four times and stood trial for misdemeanor charges in Manhattan, told a group of black Republicans earlier this year that the criminal charges he faced were a major reason black people liked him. He has also suggested that his popularity among black people increased when his mugshot was published in Atlanta because they could identify with it.
Earlier this year, Trump attended a sneaker-focused convention in Philadelphia, where he handed out Trump-branded gold sneakers to a younger and more diverse crowd than is typical of his usual rallies.
Stefanie Brown James, co-founder of the Collective PAC, an organization that seeks to elect black officials, said Trump was engaging in outdated stereotypes and promoting the idea that a large majority of black people, especially black men, have some kind of criminal record.
“We don’t take it as a badge of honor in our community that we went through the legal system,” she said. “And I think he elevates it like it’s a badge of honor.”
But overall, Trump is having some success in his efforts to reach more diverse communities, with polls showing him polling better among black voters than any Republican presidential candidate in decades.
Democrats have also worked hard to shore up black support. On Thursday, the Biden campaign released a new ad portraying Trump as a racist, highlighting how he stoked anger over the Central Park Five case decades ago.
In a statement, Jasmine Harris, the Biden campaign’s Black media director, accused Trump of being “the poster boy for modern racism.” She criticized his efforts to ingratiate himself with black voters as insulting and hollow, saying that “he thinks janky rap concerts, free chicken and his own mugshot are the key to winning our votes.”
“President Biden knows he must earn — not ask for — the support of every American,” she added.
But attendees at the Bronx rally, including Black and Hispanic voters, suggested Biden still had a lot of work to do.
Jamaal Kennedy, 35, a rap artist from the Bronx, echoed Trump’s message that he had done more to help improve the economic prospects of black people than Biden or Barack Obama, the country’s first black president.
He added that Trump’s brashness was part of his appeal. “He has no filter,” Kennedy said, although he noted, “I think that’s one reason why a lot of people don’t like him.”
Trump did not explain why he called Sheff G and Sleepy Hallow, whose real names are Michael Williams and Tegan Chambers, to the stage. Their appearance came at a time typical of his rallies, when he recognizes the key figures present.
Both men are pioneers of the drill rap scene in Brooklyn, a hyper-local, combative style of modern gangster rap with a tough sound and a subject that often revolves around gun violence.
While drill music has famously moved toward the mainstream, its rise isn’t always celebrated: In 2019, Williams was removed from the lineup of a rap festival after New York police said he and other artists were “affiliated goods’. with recent acts of violence across the city” and posed a security risk.
Last year, Williams and Chambers were among 32 people charged in a 140-count indictment accusing the men of using profits from their music to fund two Brooklyn gangs, the 8 Trey Crips and 9 Ways . Both men had previously served time in prison for gun possession.
Prosecutors in the case, which is ongoing, say Williams awarded cash, contracts and cameos in his videos to those who committed violent acts on his behalf.
Sleepy Hallow was released on bail last year. In April, Sheff G was also released on bail after fourteen months of waiting for his trial. “They left me out,” he wrote in all caps on Instagram. “They thought I was done.”
Asked whether Trump was aware of the charges against both rappers and how he viewed them in light of his tough-on-crime crackdown, a spokesman, Steven Cheung, pointed to the comments Williams made from the stage.
“They will always whisper about your achievements and shout about your failures,” Williams said. “Trump will shout victory for all of us.”
Representatives for both rappers declined to comment.
Trump’s association with hip-hop stars dates back to the 1990s, when he was often seen in New York clubs with rap impresarios and his name was often used in lyrics as a shorthand for financial success.
As president, Trump has deepened those relationships, appearing alongside Kanye West and including hip-hop figures in his latest round of pardons and commutations, including for rappers Lil Wayne and Kodak Black, who faced gun-related charges.
Still, Trump’s handling of two men accused of ordering gang killings was an example of a fundamental tension that has characterized his campaign. Even as he faces criminal charges, Trump regularly calls for tougher policing, which he says could combat killings and assaults.
On Thursday, he again pledged to protect police officers from lawsuits so they could be more aggressive in the fight against crime. Trump has portrayed those protections — which largely already exist — as a boon for communities of color. “Remember that Black, Latinx and Asian people need this protection and safety more than anyone else,” he said.
But while the optics and message may have seemed contradictory, the rappers’ appearance was not all that unusual for Trump, who has had no qualms about appearing alongside others accused of crimes, including many political allies. He has embraced those facing charges for their role in the storming of the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
And earlier this week, those joining him in court in Manhattan included Chuck Zito, a former leader of the New York chapter of the Hells Angels motorcycle gang, who has spent years in prison on drug charges.
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